The nightmare of a corpse
by Anima Hunter
Summary: This is my own little crossover on Tim Burtons the nightmare before Christmas and Corpse bride. It's not real, but I thought it might be intresting. I hope you like it :)
1. Chapter 1

Jack scratched his pondering skull as we walked in a cyclical pattern around his room. Held within his bonny fingers was a glistening white letter, which stuck out immensly in his dark, gloomy room.

" I was completely unaware I even had relatives!" Jack exclaimed to Zero, whom happily barked in response to Jacks sudden enthusiasm. Jack continued to walk around the room, suddenly stopping at his large windows. He peered outside and looked down towards his magnificant town. He could see the residents gathering around the town centre, each one holding a similar letter in their hands.

" It seems as if i'm not the only one to recieve this delightful news!" Jack spoke happily. He could feel that well known exitement for exploring the unknown; trying something new. Jack then began to re-read the letter out loud to himself again, like he had done so many times now.

_Sent from: Land of the dead_

_Dear Jack S,_

_It seems there was an un-known blockage from my home to yours, enabeling us to even be aware of eachothers exsistance. It appears to be gone - for now. So before it may return or before I loose track of my sences, I would like to meet you. I believe that we are related. My town has heard of many new arrivals - one being you - but they never actually arrived. We now realise you must of gone somewhere else. A different land for the dead, other than ours._

_Once this strange blockage had been removed, I was able to now make potions to teleport to your world. We sent someone to investigate your town - Halloween town I believe? It seemed horribly delightful. This person whom visited also handed out the letters, the one you hold in your hand right now even, in attempt to re-unite us all. A reunion of the dead. I will explain more Jack, when we meet. Me and some others will be arriving shortly._

_Yours truely, Elder Gutknecht._

Jack stared at the name written at the bottom. He was sure he had no memory of this person. However he felt a tiny part of his denatured heart beat with familiarity.

" It's the longing that i've never known..." Jack slowly realised. He knew there was something missing! He had gained a certain type of love of one special person, but this love was different. This completed him entirely. His heart now had two pieces to join together.

Jack walked down to halloween town to inspect everyone else's letters. He seemed to be doing it out of curiosity, but a slight part of him wanted to know he wasn't imagining things.

" Curiosity killed the cat you know.." A familiar, sweet voice rose from behind him. Jack smiled and turned to see his little rag doll, standing elegantly as per usual.

" I know" He smiled hazzily, stepping towards her. He then realised Sally was the only one in the large crowd of letter holders whom did not infact have a letter. He looked at her angelic cotton face with sympathy and wrapped his skeletal hands over her tiny ones. She gazed into his eyes and smiled reassuringly.

" I don't need a family, Jack. I was created, not born. Besides, the doctor is like a father to me..and I have you..." She spoke whilst looking at the floor in embarresment. Jack particuarily loved it when she did that. He placed his thin finger under her chin and lifted her face up. He was about to speak, but the booming voice of the mayor - amplified by a speaker- interupted him.

" They're here, they're here!" His voice shrieked, exitement bouncing off the walls. Joyuss singing and laughter filled the towns people, as they all began to move towards the gate, forming an awaiting crowd. The gatekeeper - a crow whom was hardly ever seen by anyone- stood at the front of the townsfolk, looking arkward as he did so. Jack could tell this was extremely out of his usual solitery, hidden conditions. Clown zoomed around on his famous unicycle whilst behemonth heavily moved foward, creating a large seperation in the moving crowd, like a boulder sitting in busy stream. Jack folded his letter and placed it in the inner pocket of his jackets torso. He then took Sally's delicate hand and made his way towards the head of the exitement. He tried to ignore Dr Finklesteins glare as much as he could. Him and sally then stood next to the mayor, whoms face was turned onto its smiling side - fit for the occasion, Jack thought. The buzzing of the crowd began to simmer as a slow, creasendo of sound started moving towards the town from a far off distance. As the silence deepend, the tension rised up. Soon, a very vague view of a crowd began to appear in the fog. Silence filled Halloween town - perhaps for the first time - as the strange crowd began to get closer, closer and clearer.


	2. Chapter 2

The first firgure to appear seemed to be a large zombie-like woman, whom was holding a rather large kitchen knife. Jack admired this. Jack then noticed that all of the people in the upcoming crowd all had deathly blue, cold skin. The crowd seemed to stop in the distance, random figures and features than were now very visable. However a fearful atmosphere was emitted from this crowd, forming an almost invisible barrier between the townsfolk of Halloween town and the ones from the land of the dead. The particuarily short and plump woman - whom appeared to be wearing a chefs hat - continued to walk foward. She suddenly stopped.

" Hello, my name is Mrs Plum" She spoke clearly, with a slight accent Jack had never heard. Then, out of Halloween towns crowd, Behemoth's deep, slug like voice rose above the silence.

" Mummy!" He yelled with as much enthusiasm his deep voice could comprehend. He ran towards Mrs Plum, the ground bouncing along with his heavy steps. The vampire brothers seemed very flusstered with this, as Behemonth merely missed crashing into them like bowling ball pins. Mrs Plum threw her large kitchen knife towards a rather lanky looking zombie-man, the knife logging its way into his ribs. However he didn't seem at all bothered by this. Jack raised his eye sockets in suprise, but felt slightly rude doing so. Mrs Plum opened her arms whilst Behemoth ran into them, his large eyes focusing foward for the first time in Jacks memory. The two hugged whilst smiles began to spread on the faces of everyone. The barrier of fear had been abolished, and the crowds began to move foward. Jack just caught a glimpse of Mrs Plum pulling Behemoths face in all shapes in sizes - inspecting his teeth, eyes, nose. Then the crowds collided, random names being called out and conversations setting ablaze. Jack then remembered somewhere in the crowd, there was somebody looking for him. He saw vauge skeleton characters in the crowd, but most of them seemed too enthusiastic and young for the person whom had written him a letter. He was searching for someone _old_.

Sally stayed at Jack's side, not wanting to be left alone in such a large cirus of exitment. Jack felt the same way. Just then, Jack noticed two characters whom were standing at the side lindes of all the exitment. His spine tingled: This was it. He just knew it. Him and Sally walked towards the two characters and began to notice the features. There was a woman in a very ancient looking wedding dress, her skeletal ribs showing through a rip in her ribs. She had blue hair and large, clear eyes. Next to her, stood an extremely crippled skeleton, his back arched immensly. He had a thin, weaving beard and was supported by a large bone being used as a walking stick. Jack was certain this was the Elder Gutknecht he was looking for.

"Jack? Is that you my dear boy?" The old man spoke, his voice sounding weak yet intellect. " It is...I mean, I am" Jack stuttered, feeling uncharacteristicly nervous. The old man scratched his pondering skull, a little flap of the bone being lifted as he did so. This action reminded Jack of himself that morning... he felt suddenly closer to this man. Perhaps they really were related. " Hello, I'm Emily" The bridal corpse spoke, her voice sounding very posh. Jack smiled at her and then realised Sally was still standing with him.

" Ahh! Hello! I'm Jack, and this is Sally" He said whilst using his hand to present her. The rag doll and the corpse both smiled shyly, and almost in unision began to twiddle their fingers nervously. Jack was astounded by these turn of events.

" we have a lot to talk about, Jack" Elder G spoke weakily. Jack was intruged by this idea.

" Why of course! Please, come and stay with me in my home. Emily, you may come to. And you sally!" Jack quickly added, in attempt not to exclude Sally.

" Thank you for being so kind" Emily said politely. The four headed off to Jack's home, leaving the now very, very large crowd of mixed ghouls and zombie-like people behind them.


	3. Chapter 3

Jack poured some classical witches brew into some ancient, grey bowls. He then handed a bowl to Sally, Emily and Elder Gutknecht. Whilst he did this, Zero had begun to sleep beside Sally's leg as she sat on the edge of Jack's bed.

" So..what is it you wish to know, my boy?" Elder Gutknecht spoke weakly, whilst looking very fragile sitting on the chair of Jack's desk.

" What caused this ' block' -as you so call it -between our worlds?" Jack asked curiously.

Elder Gutknecht placed a spoonful of the witches brew between his rotting teeth, it soon after falling through the gaps in his rib cage and splashing all over the Floor. Jack politely ignored this.

" There is no way in telling who or what caused it. Or even how it vanished. But I personally believe it is something that we will never truly understand" The old man spoke, his wise words drifting their way into Jacks curious skull.

" We may not understand today or tomorrow, but maybe we will... one day" Emily spoke in a tired voice as she gazed through Jack's large window down onto his little town, the pumpkin sun now setting in its amber brilliance. Jack then realised that his guests must be tiresome from their journey - and he to felt quite sleepy. It had truly been a long day.

" We will discuss everything tomorrow. But for now, please, you must rest!" Jack insisted to his guests.

" I will just send Sally off, then I will see to you two. One of you may sleep in my bed, and the other on the armchair - I'm sorry, I should of been prepared for two of you" Jack admitted, angry with himself. Him and Sally walked down the spiral stairs.

Jack walked Sally to the door, his mind lost in abyss. Even with all that had happened in these mere few hours, he still felt that dreaded feeling in his hollow chest when Sally had to go.

" Now you be careful Sally, I-" Jack was about to start his usual speech of safety measures for Sally's trip home, But she placed her cotton finger on his skeletal mouth before he could continue.

" I'm just some silk and thread, Jack. What could possibly hurt me?" She questioned, care soothed into her voice.

" You're more than that Sally, much more." Jack spoke meaningfully, almost offended by what Sally had said. He gently lifted her tiny hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing it lovingly as he did so. He wished he could hold her right now, cuddled in front of his fireplace and reading delightfully spooky stories together. His dead heart dropped at the thought of her departure. Sally smiled shyly and her large eyes were looking straight into Jack's sockets. His heart yearned for her to stay. Suddenly Sally let out a high-pitched giggle which made Jack's spine tingle with shock.

" Jack, you do this every time. And as always, I will see you tomorrow. You have family waiting for you to return upstairs" She said in a factual way, snapping Jack out of his mental love bubble. He smiled and waved goodbye as Sally walked down the path, shutting the gates behind her. Jack sighed and shut the front door. He then turned and started his trip back upstairs to his sleeping guests. Elder Gutknecht had fallen asleep in the armchair - snoring loudly as he did so - and Emily lay peacefully in Jack's bed, her back towards him. Jack felt more at ease knowing his guests were comfortable. He blew out the candles in his room, wondering about what new yet fascinating information he may learn from his new friends tomorrow.


End file.
